


magic eight ball

by alineppenhallow



Series: crystal ball manipulation [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Competition, Established Relationship, First Dates, M/M, Missing Scene, Spoilers for S02E06
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-07
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-22 16:50:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9616637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alineppenhallow/pseuds/alineppenhallow
Summary: "Okay?""Okay."or how competitive are Alec and Magnus really





	

**Author's Note:**

> because we were cheated out of some prime viewing of early husband competitive playing

Alec lines up his next shot and eyes the angle dubiously. It’s not quite right. And what’s worse is it’s a make or break move. He misses and Magnus is back on the table. 

Although a small part of him, namely the part influenced by Isabelle over the years, is telling him to throw the match as good first date etiquette demands, a larger part of him, the side influenced by _years_ of sibling rivalry, is saying _fuck. that_. 

Besides Isabelle’s first date etiquette guide is designed solely to appease the fragile male ego because crushing the hot guy’s self-esteem so thoroughly it makes him cry is a guaranteed way NOT to be asked out again. For Isabelle a certain amount of coddling is required to keep things civil at least until they know each other better. Alec’s not sure it works when there’s two healthy male ego’s involved. 

Still he hesitates. Because he’d like a second date…and a third and a forth. Frankly Alec wants _a lot_ of dates with Magnus. 

Gloating over a pool game may prevent that bright future. 

So Alec hesitates, his fingers curling around the cue as he leans over the table, weighing his options.

Magnus saunters up against his side, looming over Alec. Alec peeks up at him out of the corner of his eyes and catches Magnus pursing his lips as he leans on his cue surveying Alec’s shot with a look that’s clearly judging his options. 

“It’s a difficult shot,” Magnus taunts playfully. 

“Angles and archery,” Alec reminds him. 

“Even Robin Hood would have difficultly,” Magnus responds quietly and Alec fights a smile. 

“If you’re trying to distract me so you can win –”

“Oh Alec if I was trying to distract you, you’d know,” Magnus interrupts quietly and Alec catches the slow teasing grin. He feels the warmth rush under his skin at the obvious innuendo in Magnus voice and quickly focusses on his shot again. 

Magnus chuckles lightly and leaves Alec to it, presumably to fetch his drink. Alec’s a little disappointed, Magnus seems to take all the warmth with him but at the same time he’s a little relieved, it always feels like a little too much. Like being overheated, straddling the line between comfort and boiling in your own skin. 

He’s starting to get used to it though, that light headed feeling it invokes whenever he’s around Magnus, the way his stomach flutters like being stuck in mid-air having leapt from the swing at the peak of it’s arc. Frozen between one heartbeat and the next. On the one hand absolute freedom and joy and on the other a painful disaster. Alec’s still not sure if he’s going to land on his feet with this one.

Magnus returns soon enough, minus his cue, but instead of looming over Alec like before he leans over Alec. It sets all of his nerve endings sparking. Alec thought it was overwhelming before but having Magnus hovering just above him, not touching him and almost penning him in but not quite. That’s… _overwhelming_. 

“If…” Magnus starts quietly, pausing deliberately, “you’re having difficulty with the shot, I could help.” 

“This is helping?” Alec asks and he means it jokingly but the crack in his voice gives away just how much of an effect Magnus is having on him.

“Well from this position, no,” Magnus says nonchalantly. And there’s his exit ramp. All Alec has to do is refuse the help and Magnus will back off, no strings attached. But his words from earlier echo back at Alec and he pauses against the automatic refusal. With a gut warm with bitter beer, he’s feeling a little _looser_ than before so…why not? 

Alec exhales, long and slow and swallows thickly, “Then - ah - which position?”

Magnus stills and for half a second Alec thinks Magnus is about to back pedal. But Magnus just moves into Alec’s personal space more, plastering himself along the length of Alec slowly until he’s completely surrounded by Magnus. Magnus’ hand glides along Alec’s outstretched arm, the other curling around him until there’s no space between them at all. 

Alec can’t breathe. 

Magnus must sense it, his unnatural stillness, so he very deliberately exhales slowly, coaxing Alec to follow his movements. It works and Alec starts breathing again, albeit a little shakier than before. He can feel every inch of Magnus against him and the warmth of his breath against his neck, its almost too much and not nearly enough at the same time. 

“Just remember Alexander…” Magnus whispers against the shell of Alec’s ear and Alec’s eyes shut of their own accord, “it’s all about the angles.”

He pulls the cue back with Alec, guiding him gently, and pushes forward with a quick jerk of a movement that pushes Magnus closer against him. Alec barely hears the ball bounce against the carpeted table with a muffled thump. He opens his eyes to find the ball miles away from it’s target. 

“Whoops…” Magnus says unsympathetically as he pulls away.

Alec slumps against the pool table like a marionette with it’s strings cut. He groans, frustrated that he fell for it and that Magnus has disappeared to retrieve his cue instead of…what? Alec doesn’t know but damnit he wants to. Alec pushes himself up on shaky arms just as Magnus returns with his cue, blowing the chalk dust off the end. 

“Proud of yourself?” Alec asks. 

“Hmm?” Magnus hums innocently. 

Unsurprisingly Magnus makes his shot and the next with ease and a little smug smirk. The third shot, like Alec’s is a difficult angle and Magnus pauses, chewing the inside of his cheek as he checks his options. 

Alec watches him and thinks this might be the perfect opportunity for payback. If he had the nerve for it. Alec takes a fortifying gulp of his beer and decides today is the day for a little nerve, after all what else is there? Magnus is good enough to make every shot unless he’s a little distracted and apparently _he’s_ not above such tactics.  

“Problem?” Alec asks coming up behind Magnus, aiming for the same seductively deep teasing tone Magnus favours. It doesn’t work, he misses it by miles but Magnus huffs on a quiet laugh, clearly getting his meaning anyway. 

“No, I’m quite capable of difficult shots,” Magnus says confidently.

“If you’re sure,” Alec whispers, leaning in close enough that he feels Magnus’ all over shiver. He doesn’t step back, he’s not sure he could anyway. Magnus is a bit like a magnet, continually pulling him in to his space like that’s where Alec’s meant to be. 

“Well…you’re never too old to learn a new trick,” Magnus encourages and Alec can almost hear the dare Magnus is issuing. He knows _exactly_ what Alec’s doing and thinks he can still manage the shot even with Alec’s diversionary tactics at play. Alec feels a little insulted… well not really, he probably wouldn’t have even tired half a glass of beer ago even though he wanted to. So it’s understandable that Magnus thinks Alec can’t pull something out of the hat that’s really going to knock Magnus off his game. 

Magnus finds his angle and hunches over the table and Alec follows him quickly, not particularly looking forward to be left standing with no idea how to play this. He decides to use Magnus’ plan, plastering himself along Magnus’ back. Magnus hums happily as Alec gets comfortable but he doesn’t seem as flustered as Alec had been. 

“Like you said, it’s all about the angles,” Alec says softly, nose bumping against the shell of Magnus’ ear, he tries skimming his hand a little shakily around Magnus’ waist hoping for some reaction. Magnus shivers and Alec smiles in victory but it’s short lived. Magnus starts to line up his shot without a single sign he’s going to miss. 

A idea sparks in Alec’s mind, causing him to duck his head against Magnus’ shoulder to hide the toothy grin. 

He thinks about it and discards it quickly. But it niggles at the back of his mind and as Magnus starts to pull the cue back and forth, readying his shot confidently Alec figures _what the hell_  and goes for it. 

He lets his hand slide down the outside of Magnus’ thigh and squeezes just as he takes the shot. Magnus jerks like he’s had an electric shock and the ball launches off the table and like a skipping stone across a pond, it bounces through the crowd drawing a few confused looks. 

“Whoops,” Alec says cheerfully not even bothering to hide his cheshire cat smile as he stands up. 

Magnus stands with a sigh and with a snap of his fingers, the white ball appears balanced on his finger tips. Alec’s still smiling and although Magnus looks a little put out, his lips are twitching with barely concealed amusement. 

“Do you _really_ want to play this game Alec?”  Magnus checks, his dark gaze flicking from the ball to Alec. 

Alec purses his lips, his nerve faltering now. A part of him wants to. Another part of him, a little louder, is yelling _no_ and Alec’s not drunk enough, not even tipsy enough to try and force himself further than that. 

“A-another drink?” Alec suggests shyly, scratching the back of his neck. 

“Another drink,” Magnus nods with a soft smile and he takes a step back without moving. He hands over the white ball, their fingers brushing and Alec knows it’s okay. He hasn’t screwed up anything. 

Magnus  moves away to go and collect some new drinks for them instead of pushing the boundaries further and Alec breathes a little easier as he waits for Magnus to return. 

**Author's Note:**

> [Tumblr](https://alineppenhallow.tumblr.com) & [Twitter](https://twitter.com/alineppenhallow)  
> 


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